Cuff links



Dec. 15, 1964 A. BLUMSTEIN CUFF LINKS Filed Feb. 12, 1964 INVENTOR ABRAHAM BLUMSTEIN HEY PUMA (05% T2 Tan MAID,

ATTORNEYS.

, closure strip and the blade spring.

' cation of appropriate force, the shell may be turned between a position in which it is aligned with the yoke (for inspection into a cuif) and the position in which it is per- 13,15,333 Patented Dec. 15, 1964 3,160,933 CUFF LINKS Abraham Blumstein, 9893 69th Ave., Forest Hills, NY. Filed Feb. 12, 1964, Ser. No. 344,350 6 Claims. (Cl. 24-97) This invention relates generally to cuff links and more particularly to cuff links of the pivoted toggle variety and forms a continuation-in-part of my copending application filed on November 15, 1963,'Serial No. 324,067, entitled Cuff Links.

One object of this invention is to provide a toggle type cuff link assembly having a toggle finding for a jewel which is simple in construction, and which may be manufactured in large quantities at a relatively low cost.

Another object of this invention is to provide a toggle cuff link assembly which may easily and quickly be assembled.

The preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a hollow shell having a peripheral wall and an open top. The peripheral wall includes opposed longitudinally extending side walls having respective rectangular slots extending to the bottom edge of the peripheral wall.

As an important feature of the present invention, the spacing between the upper portion of the opposed side walls is greater than the spacing between the lower portion of the side walls in any one vertical plane thereby defining a shelf spaced from the top of the-peripheral wall and extending inwardly, circumferentially about the inner surface thereof. The shelf is adapted to receive the bottom surface of a jewel in abutting relation thereon. A longitudinally extending flexible and resilient blade spring is received within the shell below the shelf and the top of the respective slots and has an aperture at each 1 end thereof.

The present invention also comprisesa yoke having a pair of spaced legs connected by a crossbar, which is square in cross-section, at one end. This crossbar is positioned within the slots. A longitudinally extending head is fixed to the other end of the yoke.' The shell further includes a bottom closure having a longitudinally extending opening therein. The ends of the blade spring extend past the edges of the opening and the apertures in the blade spring are positioned to. overlie the respective ends of the opening. A bottom closure strip, made of thin brass or the like, underlies the crossbar and closes the bottom of the shell; said strip having tabs at each end thereof which pass upwardly through the apertures in the blade spring and are bent over-said spring. Additionally, the ends of the shell may be swaged over the ends of the blade spring to firmly maintain the spring in position. Thus, the crossbar is clamped frictionally between the Hence, by the appli- FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a toggle bar cuff link.

made in accordance with the present invention illustrating the position of the parts of the cuff link when it is mounted in a cuff;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged exploded perspective view of the toggle head operating assembly of the cuff link shown in FIG. 1 with a portion of the shell broken away;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 44 of FIG. 1.

As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 4, the toggle bar operating assembly made in accordance with the present invention includes a shell 10 having a peripheral wall 11 cornprising the opposing, longitudinally extending arcuate side Walls 11a and 11b, an arcuate bottom wall 13, and an open top. The outer surfaces of side walls 11a and 11b are preferably convex and the inner surfaces concave while the upper surface of bottom wall 13 is concave and the lower surface is convex. Each of side walls 11a and 1111 has a respective rectangular slot therein which is located approximately in the center of the side wall. Thus, wall 11a contains slot 14 therein and wall 11b contains slot 15 therein. In the preferred embodiment the slots are in alignment and the slots extendto the bottom edge a of the respective side walls 11a and 11b.

The upper portion of side walls 11a and 1112 are spaced apart a distance greater than the distance between the corresponding lower portion of the side walls on any one vertical plane to thereby define an inwardly projecting shelf 16. Shelf 16 is spaced between the top of slots 14, 15, and the top edge of wall 11 and extends circumferentially about the inner surface of wall 11. Shelf 16.

forms a seat for the bottom surface of a jewel which is received through the open top, as described below.

The central portion of wall 13 is cut away thereby defining a central longitudinally extending opening 12 in bottom wall 13. The lateral edges of opening 12 contain notches therein, one of which is partially shown in FIG. 2.

Shell 10 is preferably formed from a unitary blank of metal which is optionally brass.

Longitudinally extending blade spring 34, having the respective apertures 35 and 36 at each end thereof, is seated within shell 19. The ends of blade spring 34 extend past central opening 12 with apertures 35 and 36 V respectively overlying a difierent one of the notchesin the lateral end edges of opening 12. As illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, the upper surface of blade spring 34 lies well below shelf 16 and the lower surface of blade spring 34 lies below the top of slots 14 and 15 and abuts a crossbar 28. Optionally, blade spring 34 will abut the inner surfaces of peripheral wall 11, but will be movable with respect thereto. The ends of shell 10 may be swaged over the ends of blade spring 34, as at 50 and 51, to

longitudinally extending fixed head 27 thereon, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4. Head 27 may be connected to the shank'in any conventional manner. A crossbar 28, which is optionally of square cross-section, extends between and is spaced from the ends of legs 23 and 24. The spacstrip 29 is secured inplace in central opening 12 with tabs 32 and 33 engaged in the notches in the laterally extending edges of slot12 and the ends of tabs 32 and 33 respectively passing through apertures 35 and 36 in blade spring 34 and being bent over blade spring 34'with 3 the ends of the tabs extending either toward or away from each other. FIG. 3 shows the tabs extending away from each other. Projections 30 and 31 underlie the respective slots 14 and 15 to add additional support and strength to the connection of the yoke and the shell. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention; the lower surface of strip 29 will be flush (Lei, coplanar) with respect to the lower surface of bottom wall 13.

Slots 14,- 15, the adjacent portion of closure strip 29, projections 30 and 31, and the adjacent portion of blade spring 34 thus define a trunnion portion in which the crossbar 2-8- of the yoke is rotatably supported.

Closure strip 29 and blade spring 34 are optionally made of brass. However,- blade spring 34 may be con structed to hex much more than the closure strip when the unit is "rotated.

A jewel 37, having a flat lower face and con'vexly shaped upper face is sized and shaped to be received within the open top" of shell with the lower edges abutting wall 11 and the lower face seated upon shelf 16 Thus, the portion'of peripheral wall 11 above seat 16 may be c'rimped over the surface of the jewel to maintain the jewel in place. Additionally, jewel'37 may be secured in place by any means we'll known in the art.

The assembly of blade spring 34 and closure strip 2h to the shell is such that the engagement of the blade spring with crossbar 23 places the blade spring under an initial bending stress as shown in FIG. 4.- The engagement of tabs 32 and 35 with respective apertures and 36 maintain the'p'arts in pie-stressed assembled relation ship. Additionally, the ends of blade spring 34 abut closure 13 (FIG.- 4) and thereby exert an upward force on closure strip 29 through tabs 32, 33 to maintain the strip in place.

Sufiicient clearance is provided between crossbar 28 and the walls of the respective slots 14 and te permit the relative rotational movement therebetween. The opening between legs 23 and 24, crossbar 2'8 and the shank of the yoke is of suihcient size to permit the passage of the ends of the shell therethrough during the rotation of the yoke (or shell) about the aforementioned trunnion support. The action of blade spring 34 and clostire strip 29' against the edges of the crossbar resiliently an'd frictionally r'esist's any movement of the shell out of these positions in which the shell is parallel to or perpendicular to the yoke.

When in the proper assembled position with the culf of a shirt-sleeve, the parts are disposed in the position shown in FIG. 1, with the cuff interposed between the movable head comprisin shell 10 and fixed head 27. When it is desired to remove the cuff linkshell 10 is rotated to a position in which the longitudinal axis of shell 10 is parallel to the axis of the yoke. In this position the shell 10 may easily pass through the openings in the shirt sleeves whereupon it may be rotated back to a position normal to the yoke. I

Having described the preferred embodimentof my invention it will become obvious to those skilled in. the art that modifications may be'made thereinwit'hout departing from the scope of the invention. 7

What is claimed is:

I. In a toggle finding for a jewel, a shell having an open top, and a peripheral wall sizedand shaped to receive said jewel therein through said open top and having inward seat means for the reception of, said jewel, said peripheral wall having opposing longitudinally extending sides having respective slots extending to thebottom edges of said peripheral wall, a bottom closure for saidshell having a central longitudinally extending opening therein, a longitudinally extending blade spring within said shell below said seat means overlying and extending past the ends of said opening,- a relatively flexible, long-i tudinally extending'closure' strip in said central opening having a bottom surface coplanar with the bottom sur=- face of said bottom closure, complementary fastening elements on said blade spring and said bottom closure for fastening said bottom closure to said blade spring, and a yoke having legs on each side of said shell and a crossbar extending between said legs, said bar substantially square in cross-section, said bar extending through said side slots and between and in humble and resiliently clamped relationship with said blade spring and said closure strip. H

2. in a toggle finding for a jewel, a shell having an open top, and ape'rip heral wallsized and shaped to re= ceive said jewel therein through said open top and having inward seat means for the reception of said jewel, said peripheral wall having opposing longitudinally extending sides having respective slots extending to the bottom edges of said peripheral wall, a bottom closure for said shell having a longitudinally extending opening therein,

' a longitudinally extending blade spring within said shell below said seat means having an' aperture adjacent each end thereof with the ends of said blade spring extending past the lateral edges of said opening, a relatively flex ib'ie, longitudinally extending closure strip in said opening having a' bottom surface coplanar with the bottom surface of said bottom closure and having tabs at each end thereof respectively extendedt'hrough said openingand the apertures in said blade spring and bent over said blade spring, and a yoke having legs on each side of said. shell and a crossbar extending between aid legs, said bar substantially square in erosseeetion, said bar extending through said side slots and between and in turn"- able and resiliently clamped relationship with said blade spring and said closure strip.

3. A toggle finding for a jewel as defined in claim 2,- wher'eln the apertures in said blade spring overlie the lateral edges of said bottom closure epening.

4. In a toggle finding tot ajewel, a shell having an open top, and a peripheral wall sized and shaped to reee'ive said jewel therein through said epe'n' rep and having inwardly projecting seat means spaced from the top edge of said peripheral wall for reception of the bottom of said jewel,- said peripheral! wall having opposin longitudinally extendin'gsides having respective slots therein, the top edge or said slots" being spaced below aid seatmeans and the sides of saidslats extending to the bottom spring, and a yoke having legs on each side at said shell and a crossbar extending between said legs, said bar sub stantially square in cross-section, said bar extending through said side slots and between and in tu'r'nable and resiliently clamped relationship with said blade spring and said closure strip.

5. In a toggle finding for a jewel, a shell having an open top, and a peripheral wall sized and shaped to re ceive said jewel therein through said open topand having inwardly projecting seat ineans spaced from the top edge.

of said shellfor reception of the bottom of said jewel in abutting relation thereto, said. peripheral wall having opposing longitudinally extending sides having respective aligned slots extending to the bottom edge of said peripheral wall, a bottom closure for said peripheral wall having a. central openingnextending' longitudinally past said side slots, a longitudinally extending blade spring within said shell below said seat rne'anshaving ends extending ast the ends of said central o ening, said blade:

l 3' spring having an aperture adjacent each end and being so positioned and sized as to overlie a different lateral edge of said bottom closure opening, a longitudinally extending flexible closure strip in said central opening having tabs extending into said shell through said apertures and bent over said flexible blade spring, and a yoke having legs on each side of said shell and a crossbar extending between said legs, said bar substantially square in cross-section, said bar extending through said side slots and between and in turnable and resiliently clamped relationship with said blade spring and said closure strip.

6. A toggle finding for a jewel as defined in claim 5, and portions of the peripheral Wall adjacent the ends of 5 the blade spring being swaged over the ends of said blade spring to maintain said blade spring in tension over said crossbar.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 359,648 Tillingbast Mar. 22, 1887 372,033 Lieb Oct. 25, 1887 2,472,958 Oldak June 14, 1949 19 2,885,757 Cronal et al May 12, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS France May 20. 1957 

1. IN A TOGGLE FINDING FOR A JEWEL, A SHELL HAVING AN OPEN TOP, AND A PERIPHERAL WALL SIZED AND SHAPED TO RECEIVE SAID JEWEL THEREIN THROUGH SAID OPEN TOP AND HAVING INWARD SEAT MEANS FOR THE RECEPTION OF SAID JEWEL, SAID PERIPHERAL WALL HAVING OPPOSING LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING SIDES HAVING RESPECTIVE SLOTS EXTENDING TO THE BOTTOM EDGES OF SAID PERIPHERAL WALL, A BOTTOM CLOSURE FOR SAID SHELL HAVING A CENTRAL LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING OPENING THEREIN, A LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING BLADE SPRING WITHIN SAID SHELL BELOW SAID SEAT MEANS OVERLYING AND EXTENDING PAST THE ENDS OF SAID OPENING, A RELATIVELY FLEXIBLE, LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING CLOSURE STRIP IN SAID CENTRAL OPENING HAVING A BOTTOM SURFACE COPLANAR WITH THE BOTTOM SURFACE OF SAID BOTTOM CLOSURE, COMPLEMENTARY FASTENING ELEMENTS ON SAID BLADE SPRING AND SAID BOTTOM CLOSURE FOR FASTENING SAID BOTTOM CLOSURE TO SAID BLADE SPRING, AND A YOKE HAVING LEGS ON EACH SIDE OF SAID SHELL AND A CROSSBAR EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID LEGS, SAID BAR SUBSTANTIALLY SQUARE IN CROSS-SECTION, SAID BAR EXTENDING THROUGH SAID SIDE SLOTS AND BETWEEN AND IN TURNABLE AND RESILIENTLY CLAMPED RELATIONSHIP WITH SAID BLADE SPRING AND SAID CLOSURE STRIP. 